A variety of decorative building shutters are available for installation adjacent to openings in buildings, such as windows. One popular type of shutter which is available is assembled from modular components which are available in a range of sizes. Such modular shutters are easily tailored for particular installations.
Examples of such modular shutters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,251,966 to Foltman, entitled "Adjustable Height Shutter", 5,152,166 to MacGowan, entitled "Modular Shutter Assembly", and 5,265,391 to Ricard et al., entitled "Stabilized Modular Shutter", all of which patents are assigned to the assignee of this application. Other examples of modular shutters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,765,110 to MacLeod, entitled "Adjustable Plastic Shutter" and 5,060,442 to Chubb, entitled "Louvered Plastic Building Product."
Typically, modular shutters have a pair of side rails, a central shutter panel which, for example, may be planar or louvered, and top and bottom end rails. Generally, the side rails are cut to meet the particular size requirements of the shutter installation. The shutter panels are cut or sized accordingly. The width of modular shutters can be adjusted by use of shutter panels, end rails and mullions of different dimensions.
In many existing modular shutters, each shutter panel has a pair of runners extending along the opposite sides of the panel, transverse to the plane of the shutter panel. Typically, each of the side rails of such modular shutters has a channel formed on the inner wall thereof to slidably receive the runners of the shutter panel. The channel includes a front lip extending inwardly from a front edge of the inner wall and overlying an edge portion of the shutter panel.
The end rails of many shutters also include runner portions which are slidably received in the side rails. The side rails can be C-shaped in cross section with inner and outer walls. Typically, such end rails also include depending tab-like portions which project into the side rails at the ends thereof, against the outer wall to retain the shape of the side rail and to properly position the end rail thereon.
In assembling such shutters, the end rails are assembled to the side rails. One end rail can be assembled before the central panel and side rails are assembled. Typically, the side rails and end rails are fastened together, such as by stapling, to prevent separation thereof. The side and end rails are fastened along the portion where the end rail runner and side rail inner wall are adjacent to each other. While temporarily fastening the shutter in the assembled configuration with fasteners facilitates installation, it is nevertheless a time consuming and laborious task. When the shutter is installed, for example, adjacent to a window on a building surface, screws or other fasteners are driven through the side rails to secure the shutter to the building surface.
In known modular shutters, the end rails and center rails are configured to be attached to the side rails by interfitting into the channel on the inner wall beneath the front lip. The end rails and center rail include a front wall surface which is slightly recessed from the front wall surface of the side rails to fit beneath the lip.
When assembled, this also simplified the configuration of the end rails for insertion of the runner portions into the side rails. However, this presents an uneven and less than optimal appearance of the finished shutter.